Clumsy
by crystalnami
Summary: RN; — she always knew she was clumsy, but this was one way in which she never thought she'd fall.


one-shot;; _nami_**xas**

_I do not own._

_**enjoy.**_

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**C L U M S Y**

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I'm a klutz.

Ask anyone you want – they'll all tell you the same thing: Namine Suzuki is a **klutz**. And a big one at that.

My life has basically been dedicated to tripping up over flat surfaces; knocking over vases by merely looking at them; causing the people around me to stumble in my wake.

I'm a klutz. It's what I'm famous for.

If somebody hears of someone having tripped up in assembly, they'll automatically think, "There goes Namine again!" But I've grown used to it. My clumsiness has become a way of life.

Because I'm such a klutz, it seems as though I can have an accident where most wouldn't think is possible. I'm well known for my ability to fall in ways you'd least expect a person to.

And so because of this, it's sort of become my thing to see how many ways I can fall. My friend's Kairi and Sora have even compiled a sort of score board for me. Once I've fallen in 100 different ways, they're planning on sending it to 'The Book of World Records'.

Yeah. I'm _that_ clumsy.

And did I mention I have a time limit to do this?

One month. One month to fall in one hundred different ways, each one having to be unique and _by accident. _It sounded impossible to me – all this to get into a stupid book! But Kairi and Sora insisted.

Strange how people use _my_ clumsiness for _their_ entertainment.

I don't mind though. I know they're not doing it to be harsh. It's just a thing I am – clumsy. And in all honesty, being clumsy isn't exactly the best attribute to have, right? So I might as well put it to the best of use as I can.

Which is, in this case, to provide enjoyment for my friend's and to get into a book of world records.

But I didn't even know you could get into that book for something like _clumsiness._ This world grows stranger with each passing day.

Actually, this Record thing has sort of grown on me though, this past month. It's sort of become like a small competition between me and the world. And it does have its advantages – for example, nowadays, if I fall, my friends don't just laugh at me; they also clap and cheer. It's surprisingly uplifting.

Sorry, I'm rambling on a bit about my clumsiness, aren't I? But like I said, it's become a big part of my life.

Let's start with the basics. As you know, my name is Namine Suzuki. I love on Destiny Islands with my family and friends. I moved here from Twilight Town when I was fourteen.

I'm sixteen now. I attend Destiny High with my best friend Kairi – who's incidentally my cousin – and her boyfriend Sora. They're my two closest friends, other than Olette.

Sora and Kairi have been dating for over a year now. Believe me when I tell you that they make the _perfect_ couple. They've been best friends since childhood, and got together last year after Sora sort of accidentally-on-purpose revealed his feelings for her.

Olette's also in a relationship – she's currently dating Hayner, the school stud. Even though Hayner acts all macho and manly, I can see that behind the tough guy act, he really cares for her.

And as for me…well, I'm currently single. By 'currently' I mean always have been, always will be.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not some socially retarded freak or a complete love cynic or anything – in all honesty, I'm a hopeless romantic – but falling in love is just one thing I can't imagine myself ever doing.

I'm not like Kairi; I don't thrive in going out and being with someone 24/7, and unlike her, I don't feel the need to have someone I can do everything with. I'm fine by myself. Although it _would_ be nice to have someone who really understood me.

I'm the sort of girl who would rather be by herself than surrounded by a tonne of friends. I _hate_ being the centre of attention. That's one reason why I'm hesitant about the Book of Records thing…but I'll do it for my friends.

If someone were looking for me, it's most likely they'd find me sitting in an empty classroom (Room 34 on the second floor is my favourite. That big white art room – you know the one), sketching something.

That's one thing I really enjoy – drawing. Another reason why I'm more introverted than Kairi – drawing is a hobby that requires quiet, time, and _patience_ – an attribute which Kairi is, to put it modestly, lacking.

Kairi prefers dance to anything. She's really awesome at it, and I'm not just saying that 'cause she's my cousin. She has some serious talent. But dance is a hobby that can require a lot of people – a whole audience of people watching her, all eyes on her. She loves the spotlight. I hate it.

So…I'm getting slightly off topic here, aren't I? As I was originally saying, I prefer to be by myself, and until I meet someone who is able to fully understand that need, I'd like to keep it that way.

I wouldn't mind dating a guy who's similar to me in that aspect – quiet, shy, sensitive, patient…but what's the chance I'm going to meet one of those any day soon?

Nowadays, most guys are so _loud_ and _immature_ and _completely_ opposite to me. I'm not dissing Sora or anything, mind you. I think he's a really great guy, and there couldn't be anyone more perfect for Kairi. And he is different to other guys in most ways – he is sensitive and understanding – but he's still not the type of guy that I'm searching for, that's right for _me._

Kairi once suggested that I get together with Riku. You know who I'm talking about right? Tall and muscled, with long silver hair and aqua eyes…one of the schools proclaimed hotties and Sora's best friend.

The reason Kairi suggested Riku is because he's quiet and reserved, like me. He doesn't really speak much, and when he does it's not exactly the President's Speech. And he's also really mature and collected for his age.

But even through this, I still wouldn't date him. There's just something so _intimidating_ about him…I don't think I could ever feel entirely comfortable in his presence.

And anyway, I've already met the perfect guy once. I have standards. And let me tell you, they're gonna be pretty hard to meet.

So who is this "perfect guy", you may ask? Well, he's someone I met back at Twilight Town. He was the rebellious skater boy, I was the shy artist. Fate, of course, pulled us together. We were assigned as partners in Biology.

We became fast friends, even though we had completely different hobbies. You may be thinking "Wait a second – didn't she just say she wants someone who _is_ like her?" I did. And I did mean it. But just because we had different interests, it didn't mean that our personalities were too different. We were actually very similar.

We instantly clicked, me and this guy. We understood each other so well, and didn't feel it necessary to fill every possible gap with mindless chatter. We worked in silence, merely enjoying each others presence.

As the school year passed, I found my feelings for this guy growing stronger and stronger. Being the shy person that I am, I didn't dare pursue them. I left them alone, hoping they would fade away. They didn't.

And then I moved to the Islands, and we gradually lost contact over the past 2 years. Ever since then, I compared any guy I met with him, and was unable to find anyone as perfect.

And what's this boy called, you ask? His name's _Roxas. _Roxas Hayashi.

And so now, I just find it easier to not bother looking for a boyfriend. I'd just find disappointment instead. I'll just let someone find me, eventually.

So there you have it: the story of Namine Suzuki. Interesting, huh?

But back to the competition thing now. So far, I'm actually doing pretty well. _Really_ well actually. Today's date is 7th July; the one month started on 7th June. So that makes today the last day. Which gives me one day to fall in one new way. No problem!

That's right – so far, in the past month, I've managed to fall in 99 different ways. Don't ask me how, I just did. Like I said, it's a talent of mine; it just comes naturally.

I'll give you a recap of a few of the different ways I've managed to fall – not all of them obviously, just the cringiest, most embarrassing ones. I'm gonna regret telling you these!

The first day of the competition, we went rock climbing. I thought to myself "Easy, there'll be a million different ways for me to fall here!"

But somehow, I managed to get up and down the walls without falling _once_ – it was a miracle.

By the end of the day, I had of course managed to fall – just not in the most obvious way.

You see, I had just come down from climbing my last wall. Incidentally, I was the last person to climb. After I had reached the ground, we stood in a group (we had gone on a school trip) and awaited our teacher's instructions for as where to go next.

Kairi, Sora, Olette and I were chatting about how we couldn't _quite_ believe that I had managed to get through the day without falling – it was _very _unlike me. My three friends each held a small look of shock on their faces.

That is, until the teacher told us to go to the entrance.

Being me, I'd forgotten that I was still attached to the harness. My sudden quick movement forward caused the already tight rope, which unfortunately for me held no slack, to ping me back towards the wall, throwing me to the wall.

And by doing this, I managed to cause the instructor, who was still in the process of untying himself from the other end of the rope, to fall onto the floor next to me.

Fall Number 1: dragged down by rope and pulling the instructor down with me.

The second week in, I was over at Kairi's house for lunch; the family was having a BBQ in the garden, the sun was bright in the cloudless sky.

Kairi and I were sat inside the conservatory, playing video games whilst we waited for the food to be served. My stomach was growling uncomfortable, announcing its need for food. And so, when my mom called that the food was ready, I instantly sprang up.

I rushed towards the double glass doors, the smell of the food enticing me. I can tell what you're thinking now: "Here we go again, another classic case of girl running into the closed glass door."

Well, you're wrong. Yes, I did run towards the door at top speed, and yes, it was closed, and yes, I managed to fall, but no, not in the way you think.

As I headed to the door, I could see the scene before my eyes: me scrambling to get the food, crashing into the door, everybody laughing, food delayed…

And so I froze right before I reached the door, determined not to make a fool out of myself yet again. Confidently, I reached out a hand and pulled across the sliding doors, pleased that I was finally becoming less of a klutz.

How wrong I was. See, what I was doing would have worked if the door had actually been _closed_. Thing is, the door _was_ actually open, and by pulling the sliding door across, I had accidentally _closed_ the door – something I didn't realize until it was too late.

Mental note: _never_ try to stop myself looking like a fool; I'll only look like a bigger one for it.

Upon 'opening' the door, I pressed forwards hastily, eager to get some food into my stomach, only to find myself slamming into the glass at full force. Of course, I hadn't been expecting this _at all_, and so I stumbled backwards forcefully, crashing into Kairi who was stood directly behind me, causing us both to fall backwards into Kairi's sister's baby cot.

Fall number 31: crashing into 'open' door and pulling Kairi down with me.

I know, I know, how stupid can I be to do something like that? But wait until you hear this one – another stupid and embarrassing fall of mine, which occurred just last week.

It was a hot summer's day; July had finally rolled around, and the weather matched all of our moods. It was Olette's birthday, and she was having a fancy dress party.

Seeing as the weather was so beautiful, Sora, Kairi, Riku and I had decided to walk the twenty-minute journey to Olette's, clad in our costumes.

Sora and Kairi were dressed as Ariel and Prince Eric from 'The Little Mermaid' – they looked pretty darn good! Riku had chosen to go as Jack Sparrow – sorry, _Captain_ Jack Sparrow, and my outfit resembled the evil witch Maleficent, from 'Sleeping Beauty'.

I had donned myself in a long black dress with a dark purple cape, and had caked my face in white powder and purple lipstick.

So, here's how it happened: We were walking along a narrow street, cute little shops lining one side; tall, broad tree's the other. We were having a pleasant conversation about something or the other, when suddenly I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the shop window.

"Oh my God!" I screamed in horror, immediately backing away from the shop. Sora, Kairi and Riku all looked at me, their faces a mixture of confusion and panic.

"What?" Kairi asked curiously, watching me as I stumbled over my feet in my haste to move away from the shop.

"It's – it's…that witch! Maleficent! She's come to kidnap us! Help!" I squealed, turning on my heel to run away.

Of course, instead of moving and further away from where I was, I found myself in a heap on the ground, having managed to crash into one of the trees with full force. I'm sad to say that I accidentally brought the cat that was sitting on it down with me.

That had to be the most embarrassing thing _ever_. As my companions stood around me in fits of laughter, it suddenly dawned on me that it hadn't actually been Maleficent I'd seen, but merely my own reflection.

Fall number 83: Crashing into tree when running from 'Maleficent' and bringing a cat down with me.

It seems as though this is also becoming a sort of stupidity contest as well, doesn't it?

In this past month, I've pulled many other completely stupid and irrational and _accidental _stunts, but I really don't think you need to hear them all. I think this competition has really brought out the best of my clumsiness, huh?

So, today's the last day then. Only one more thing for me to do, and then it's all over…wish me luck! I have to head to school now – I wonder what lies await for me!

I step out of the house in silence, squinting as the sun shines directly into my eyes. I love the feeling of the cool summer breeze blowing gently on my face, refreshing me.

I see that Kairi is already waiting for me, an excited expression on her face; I throw her a smile before closing the door, and then the two of us proceed to walk to school.

"You're meeting Sora's cousin tonight!" Kairi reminds me. I nod, remembering.

"Oh yeah! Finally! Tell me though, _why_ is it so important that I meet him?" I ask. Kairi ignored my question, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"So, you ready to fall one last time?" She asks slyly, nudging me with her elbow.

I roll my eyes. "Am I _ever _ready?"

Kairi responds with a giggle, and the two of us continue the short journey in a comfortable silence, the sun's rays beating down on our fair faces.

I manage to arrive to school with a new companion: a fresh bruise covering my left elbow. Somehow, I had managed to trip over a rock on the way to school. Unfortunately, this hadn't counted as Fall Number 100, seeing as I'd already managed to do that – "Fall Number 16: Tripping over a rock."

Kairi and I walk into our homeroom, heading over to where Sora, Riku, Tidus and Wakka are stood, discussing the importance of Blitzball.

"Sora!" Kairi greets, enveloping her boyfriend in a tight hug. "Happy birthday!"

Did I mention that? It's Sora's birthday today. He's turning 16 – yes, he's the baby in our group! (The last person to have turned was Olette the other week). We're having a big party at his tonight. It should be a blast.

"Thanks, Kai!" Sora says, grinning widely as he gives his girlfriend a soft peck on the cheek. "Hey Namine!" he greets.

"Hey yourself! Happy birthday! How does it feel to _finally_ be a man?" I tease, and we all laugh as Sora's famous pout makes its way onto his face.

"How does it feel to have achieved a world record in clumsiness?" Sora retorts light-heartedly, chuckling as my face grows red.

"Hey!" I defend, "I haven't reached 100 yet! I'm still on 99!"

"Give it till lunch," Sora promises, "You'll have surely reached 100 by then!"

But the school day passes in a blur, revealing no signs of me falling in any way. Why was it that when I _really_ needed to fall, I couldn't?

The afternoon at home also passes without incident. I manage to stop myself from falling off the bunk bed, but curse myself afterwards – that could have been my 100th fall! But now I wouldn't be able to do that again by accident.

At around half 6, Kairi comes over and we prepare ourselves for Sora's party. It isn't a fancy dress this time, but it's going to be a really big party. Tonnes of people are invited, and Sora's parents have rented a huge hall to use; there's even going to be a live local band!

Kairi decides to wear a cute pink spaghetti strap dress that has a black bow going around the middle, the dress flaring out underneath it. She's left her long, straight hair down, but clipped her bangs back with a pink butterfly slide. She looks great; I'm pretty sure Sora will agree!

I'm wearing a white Marilyn Monroe style dress, which goes tight at my waist, swishing out over my hips to reach just above by knees, poofing slightly at the top to form a halter neck. I've paired this with some white heeled sandals, with ribbons tying up my ankles.

Kairi's curled my blonde hair for the occasion, and I've left it loose, the curls cascading down my back.

We pick up our wrapped presents and make our way out of the house at round half 7 – the party starts at 8, but we've decided to arrive a bit early. We arrive at our destination within 10 minutes, both of us chatting animatedly as we enter through the brightly lit double doors.

The doors lead directly into a huge hall, a stage at one end, a hallway leading off to separate rooms on the left. We spy Sora pushing tables and chairs to the edges of the hall, leaving room for dancing, and rush towards him, jumping on him to give him a hug, squealing "Happy Birthday!"

Sora thanks us, a huge grin on his face. "Where shall we leave your presents, birthday boy?" Kairi asks, following Sora's finger as he points down the hallway.

"Down there, first door on the left," he instructs, "and once you've done that, please can you start grabbing food from the kitchen – door on the right – and setting it up on these tables? Thanks!"

Kairi and I agree, heading over to where he points. I ask Kairi to drop my present in the room, (I needed the toilet), and hear her greet somebody. I assume it's Sora's cousin, who I'm yet to meet.

After finishing what needed to be done, I enter the kitchen, Kairi already in there. Throwing her a smile, I lift up a tray of drinks, and make my way out. Leaving the drinks on a table, I then head back to the kitchen to grab more stuff, passing Kairi in the process.

Passing the present room, I hear Sora conversing with his cousin, and stick my head in to say hello. "Hey guys!" I chirp happily. "Is this your infamous cousin then?"

A blush rises on my cheeks as I realize that Sora is talking with his Dad. "Why thank you, Namine! I'll just take it as a compliment that you think I look that young!" He laughs, Sora chuckling beside him.

I laugh nervously. "Sorry… it's just that Sora and Kairi have been going on about how I'm finally meeting Sora's cousin today, so I just assumed…"

The two merely laugh at me, so I escape back to my duties. Before long, 8pm rolls around, and the guest begin to arrive. The band has started their warm up, playing a few soft, casual beats to get the party started.

I spend most of my time standing at the edge of the hall, chatting with my friend Pence, wanting to escape from the eye of the party. I search the room for Sora and Kairi, and, much to my surprise, spy them in a corner of the room, conversing privately.

Sora chooses that moment to look over at me, a smirk on his face, and I quirk my eyebrows suspiciously at him before responding to Pence's comment.

Moments later, we're joined by none other than the birthday boy and my cousin, who share a knowing smile. Pence and I extend the conversation to involve them, but the music is loud and we're forced to shout to be heard. Sora seems to be getting slightly pissed, and after giving me a _look_, starts speaking casually.

"I'm just going to go get Roxas to tell the band to turn it down a bit," He comments nonchalantly. My body freezes and my knuckles whiten as my grip on my soda tightens, my eyes remaining unblinking. All breath escapes my lungs and my heart rate increases dramatically…all that because of one _name._

I gulp, attempting to act normal, but my mind won't quit the echo of Sora's voice, and the look Sora and Kairi share shows me that the can see right through my casual act. I've always been easy to read- I 'm like an open book.

_Roxas…Roxas…Roxas…_

Is _he_ really here?

I don't have a clue why I'm suddenly feeling the way I am. I mean, I haven't seen or heard from Roxas in two years, and I've been fine so far. So why is he still having this affect on me?

The music has turned down slightly now, and I can't help but let my neck strain over the heads of the party-goers, trying to catch a glimpse of that spiky blonde hair or those stormy cerulean eyes.

Nothing is seen though; disappointed, I sink back to my feet, millions of thoughts running through my mind. I try to tell myself that it could have been another Roxas – I'm sure there's more than one in this world. But I can't stop the gut instinct that tells me _he_ is here.

However, much to my dismay, the hours slowly pass without even a hint of my first love. I try my best to forget it, but the quick beats of my heart are a constant reminder.

Kairi surprises me by coming up to me at around half 10, asking if I've managed to have another fall. I remember the competition with a start, and curse myself for getting distracted so easily, all because of one stupid _boy._

The red head reminds me that I only have a few hours of the day left, and I gulp, nodding feebly, praying that I'll manage to have another fall in the next one and a half hours of the day.

But the next time I look at my watch, it's somehow already half eleven. I gaze at my watch in shock, unable to comprehend that one whole hour has already passed – but I know that my watch isn't lying.

The hall is less crowded, the crowd having dispersed, only a few pairs and groups scattered around. As I find my eyes roaming for _him_ again, Sora approaches and asks me to go into the kitchen to help his cousin wash up. I agree half-heartedly, and head into the large kitchen.

Upon entering the large back kitchen, the first thing I notice is a boy, clad in khaki combats and a long-sleeved white shirt, the sleeves pushed up, standing at the sink washing dishes.

I observe him in silence for a few moments, keeping my presence unknown, unable to stop thinking of how his hair is styled in a remarkably similar way to a certain _someone_…

I roll my eyes to myself, sigh out deeply, excluding these thoughts, before clearing my throat quietly.

"Erm…hi. I'm Naminé…you must be Sora's cousin?" My voice is quiet, and I find my shyness kicking in, the one that always rears its head when I'm around unfamiliar people. The boy gives me no audible response, but tilts his head slightly to one side, in what I can only assume is a nod.

"You need any…help?" I ask shyly, eyeing the hefty pile of dirty cups and plates. The boy nods again, pausing before continuing his washing.

"Sure."

It's the first word he's said to me, and my heart can't help but flutter at his deep, velvety voice – a voice that's suddenly brought back a mountain of memories. I inhale sharply, wondering if it could really be _him._ It is a possibility…Sora _did_ say that his cousin's form Twilight Town, after all. And they do look astonishingly similar – at least from what I can remember of Roxas.

I shake my head to myself as I pick up the plates, knowing that it can't actually be Roxas. That would be too good to be true – I _never_ have luck in things like this, so why should I suddenly get it now?

As I carry the dirty dishes over to Sora's cousin (of who I won't believe is Roxas, and thus notice that I still don't know his name), I somehow manage to catch my foot on the table leg, sending me flying towards the boy, the plates clattering to the floor noisily, shattering, shards flying everywhere.

I close my eyes, preparing myself for the impact with the hard, tiled floor. But it never comes. Instead, I find myself being held up by a pair of strong arms – the plates, however, meet their end as the come in contact with the ground, pulled down by the laws of gravity.

Hesitantly, I open my eyes to see a pair of ocean blue orbs gazing down at me, filled with both caution and concern. My own blue eyes slowly drag away from the familiar opal irises, roaming over the face they belong to, my mouth dry.

"R-Roxas?" I manage to choke out in a squeak, unable to look away from the face I haven't seen in two years.

"Naminé…" he replies softly, "Still a total klutz, I see."

I blush slightly, taking in every aspect of him. His voice has changed – it's matured, grown deeper – just deep enough for my liking – and is filled with more knowledge and understanding.

His looks have changed slightly too – any baby fat has disappeared off his face, instead replaced with a strong, prominent jaw-line. His hair has grown longer and blonder, and is now styled in a more casual, messy style, the front sweeping to the left, the back in an ordered disarray.

From what I can feel, his body has changed too. His arms have grown stronger, more muscly, and I feel no traces of puppy fat on his hard chest.

His eyes are the only things that don't seem to have changed at all – they still hold that boyish charm that captured my heart the very first time I saw them; they're alive, sparkling crystal blue with mischievousness.

I can only hazard a guess that his personality has changed too. I assume he's grown cleverer, stronger, more confident; but he still seems to be the quiet, reserved Roxas he was when I first befriended him.

"You…you remember me!" I find myself whispering before I can stop myself, still watching him.

Roxas smirks, his eyes twinkling. "Well, you did introduce yourself when you first came in, doofus." I blush, remembering, opening my mouth to say something. But Roxas's smile softens then, his eyes growing sad, and he adds quietly, "But how could I forget?"

It takes a moment for my brain to process his words, for his presence is still affecting me. When I realize what he has said, the heat rises to my face, a light pink hue grazing my already slightly tinted fair cheeks.

We both simultaneously seem to realize that he is still holding me in his arms, and I suddenly pull myself up, straightening and smoothing out my dress; Roxas takes a step back, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

He clears his throat uncertainly, glancing at me before becoming extremely interested in the ground. I clasp my hands together, wringing them timidly.

"So…" Roxas begins anxiously, seeming unsure of what to say. However, he's saved the trouble of finding the words, as I suddenly lose control of myself – I find myself running towards him, tumbling into his arms as I wrap myself tightly around him.

"I've missed you so much," I whisper into his chest. He hesitates for a short moment, before returning the embrace, wrapping his arms around me with as much force.

"I've missed you too, Nami," comes the husky reply, causing my heart to stutter. "I never stopped thinking about you. As the days, weeks, months passed, I was so scared I would forget your voice, your face, your smell…but I never did. And now, finally, you're here again…"

Inhaling his sweet scent, I sigh softly. "I'm sorry," I admit, the two of us releasing each other and standing facing each other, our hands and eyes still connected.

"What for?" Roxas asks, bemused.

"For leaving…" I say sadly.

"It's not like you had a choice," Roxas reassures, a soft smile playing on his lips…_oh, those lips…_"None of us wanted it to happen, but it's not like anything could have been done to prevent it."

"I should have tried harder!" I wail, suddenly realizing just how much I've missed him.

"It's okay," he soothes, his velvety voice immediately calming me. His hand reaches up to brush a few strands of hair out of my face, his hand then lingering on my cheek for a few moments.

"You've changed," he observes, the intensity of his gaze causing me to blush, his hand on my cheek distracting me and preventing any coherent thoughts. I feel self-conscious under his deep gaze, but my body refuses to move. "You look…you look_ beautiful."_

The last word is spoken so quietly that I barely catch it, my ears straining to hear it; but I do, and this merely causes my heart to race faster and my face to turn redder.

"I never got to tell you," Roxas continues, his voice quickening now, the words tumbling out in a blur. "Before you went, I never got to tell you. I was going to, but I couldn't. I got scared."

"Tell me what?" I ask curiously.

"How I felt – no, _feel_," Roxas corrects, his gaze averted to the floor where a mass of broken plates still lies.

I gulp heavily, preparing myself for what he's going to say, trying to stop myself getting hopes up, but failing miserably.

"The moment…the moment I first met you, I fell for you. There was just something about you…I couldn't help myself. And the closer we grew, the harder I fell," Roxas confesses, his gaze still concentrated on the floor, just as mine is.

"And then…when you left, I really missed you. So much it hurt. More than I thought I would. And that made me realize something. Over the two years that I had been friends with you, my feelings had grown from more than just a simple crush. But it took your absence for me to realize."

"Realize what?" I ask hoarsely, not quite believing what my ears were telling me.

"Realize that I _love_ you," Roxas concludes, suddenly looking up and meeting my gaze as he speaks the last three words.

The world seems to have stopped spinning. The only ones that exist are me and him; nothing else matters. It feels like a dream come true. Finally, after the four long years since meeting him, my wishes have been answered.

Using the hand that's still on my cheek, his other wrapping around my waist, Roxas pulls me closer to him, leaning his head towards mine.

Stepping up on my tiptoes, I wrap my arms around his neck, closing the last few inches between us, letting our lips finally meet. I half expect someone to interrupt us, but no-one does.

I let myself sink into the kiss, feeling as if I'm melting on the spot into a large, gooey, Naminé puddle. Roxas supports me, both our eyes closing as we deepen the kiss, my insides on fire.

After what feels like centuries, we finally part, panting slightly, but it's still too soon for my liking. Air, however, is an annoying necessity.

I gaze deeply into his cobalt eyes, clinging onto him, never wanting to let go. Roxas smiles gently at me, his beautiful eyes crinkling at the corners.

"I love you too," I finally speak up, my voice a hushed, shy, but honest whisper. I watch with delight as Roxas's face lights up like a bulb, his eyes and smile widening dramatically. I giggle, rising up once more to kiss him again gently.

After a few more minutes of kissing, we retire to leaning against the kitchen wall, my head resting on his shoulder, his hands clasping my small ones.

"Where were you?" I ask, "I didn't see you at the party."

I feel him chuckle beside me. "You know me, Nami," – (using his special nickname) – "I'm not exactly a party person."

"True," I smile, "Same goes for me." I turn my head up to look at his face. "So you're Sora's cousin, huh? Nice to finally meet you!"

Roxas grins. "The one and only! And you must be his girlfriend's cousin" What a small world."

I nod in agreement. Roxas laughs then, suddenly remembering something. "Sora told me about the Record thing! Jeez, how much of a klutz _are_ you?" he teases lightly, pinching my nose.

I blush, elbowing him, swatting his hand away. "Shut up!" We chuckle together, snuggling closer.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, a sudden thought strikes me, and the happy expression on my face evaporates, my shoulders slumping, a small, unconcealed sigh escaping my lips.

Roxas immediately notices my mood change. "Nami? What's up?"

I sigh again. "It's just…after this, you're going back to Twilight Town, right? When am I going to see you again?" A frown makes its way onto my face as I realize that saying goodbye now would be so much harder than it was two years ago.

I look up at Roxas to see his reaction, and am surprised to see a grin on his face, causing my frown to deepen. Does he not care for us at all?

"Oh…I see how it is," I retort, slowly lifting myself to my feet, pulling my hand away from his warm grip. Roxas quickly stands suit.

"No, Nami! I'm not smiling 'cause I won't miss you! I'm smiling because you're wrong."

Confusion flits across my face, and a glimmer of hope rises in my heart. My expression prompts Roxas to continue with his explanation.

"I've done a lot since you left. You know how I love skating? Well, I actually entered some competitions. And I got into the finals. The next series of tournaments are all taking place here over the next few months, and so my parents decided we could all stay down here so we don't have to keep travelling back and forth!"

As he is speaking, a smile grows on my face, my eyes lighting up as I realize my accusations are wrong.

"So what does that mean?" I ask with anticipation.

Roxas's smile widens, his eyes sparkling. "It means that I'm definitely going to be here for the next four months," I open my mouth to speak, but Roxas isn't finished yet. "AND my parents are even considering staying here…_for good."_

This time when I open my mouth, no words _can_ come out. I'm shocked. But then, unable to contain myself, I squeal loudly, jumping up and wrapping my arms around Roxas's neck, nearly suffocating him.

Roxas laughs, lifting me up and twirling me, landing a kiss on my lips.

Words can't describe how unbelievably _happy_ I am right now. My insides fizzle and bubble and overflow and a smile has permanently been etched onto my face.

I giggle uncontrollably, holding Roxas as tightly as I possible can, loving the feeling of finally being in his arms. I finally feel as if I'm somewhere that I _belong._

"Naminé?"

Kairi's voice and the sound of approaching footsteps causes Roxas and I to immediately separate, both our gazes flicking to the dirty, dangerous mess that lies abandoned on the floor.

"Shoot!" Roxas mutters, scurrying around the kitchen in search for a broom, and finding a small brush. He kneels down on the floor, sweeping up and collecting what he can.

I rush over to the sink, pretending to bust myself with the dishes, glancing over at Roxas who is on all fours, a panicked expression on his adorable face as he crawls under the table in attempt to pick up every last shard of pottery.

Kairi comes in then, and I snap my head back to what I'm doing, pretending to be immersed in the work.

"Naminé…!" Kairi sounds breathless, and upon turning to her, I see that she is bent over slightly, catching her breath.

Sora enters the room behind his girlfriend, and glances around, his expression shocked.

"What is _that?_" he asks, pointing to the mess that still lies on the floor. U look to Roxas for support, but notice that he is still under the table, undoubtedly hiding, unnoticed by our cousins.

"Ah…well, you see…" I begin, laughing nervously, abandoning the dishes as I turn to face my friends.

"Never mind _that!_" Kairi's voice interrupts my pathetic attempts at finding a plausible excuse. "Do you realize what time it is?" I shake my head slowly, catching on. "It's nearly midnight! You have about two minutes for one more fall!"

Sora's expression clears and is replaced with a panicked one. "Oh no! You're not going to make it into the Book of Records!"

The two look at me, expecting some sort of sad reaction, but I merely stand there, lost in thought. A smile soon makes its way onto my face as I grin at their desperate expression, a sudden thought occurring to me.

"Oh really? Well I think you're wrong about that."

Smirking, I walk towards the two, looking each of them in the eye. I say my next words slowly, making sure Roxas can hear them clearly, knowing that he is under the table listening.

"I _have _fallen in a new way today. I've fallen in _love_. How's _that_ for a fall?"

It takes a few moments for them to realize what I've said, and when they do, their expressions quickly turn from desperation to shock, their jaws hanging open as they try to spit out the words they can't find.

"W-what?" Kairi splutters. Sora, for the first time ever, seems at loss for words. I hear a sharp intake of breath from under the table, followed by a really quiet chuckle (that goes unnoticed by my shocked companions) and wonder when Roxas is going to make his grand appearance.

A look of understanding dawns upon Sora's face. "As," he says calmly, "You met my cousin."

I smile. "You could say that."

Kairi's eyes widen. "Ohhh…Roxas."

Upon hearing his name, the blonde boy finally makes his presence known, if by accident.

"Yeah?" comes the automatic, muffled, stupid reply, immediately followed by a quick "woops".

Sora and Kairi look at the table curiously. "Roxas…?" Sora asks inquisitively.

A spiky blonde head pops out from under the table, a sheepish smile on the cheeky face.

"Hey guys," Roxas greets nonchalantly, "'Sup?"

All Kairi and Sora can do is look at him strangely as he makes his way over to stand beside me, rubbing the back of his head in the way he always does when nervous or in an awkward situation.

The room is silent as we regard each other silently for a few moments, before Kairi breaks the silence.

"So," she begins casually, pulling a notebook out of the handbag hanging loosely over her shoulder. "What was that last fall again?"

I grin, looking up at Roxas. "Fall number 100: Falling. In. Love."

Kairi begins to scribble, a manic grin on her face, before Roxas's voice surprises us.

"You forgot one thing," he says from beside me, smiling as he wraps an arm around my waist. "Pulling me down with you."

I can't think of anything to do but kiss him. So I do just that.

Book of Records, here I come!

_You got me trippin' oh, stumbling oh, flippin' oh, fumbling oh  
Clumsy cuz I'm fallin' in love, in love  
You got me slippin' oh, tumbling oh, sinkin' oh, fumbling oh  
Clumsy cuz I'm fallin' in love, in love  
So in love with you…_

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_**end.**_

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i'll love you **forever.**


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